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How I Maintain a Very Humble (Low) Budget Eating Vegan, Without Any Sacrifice

3K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  ameerah 
#1 ·


Every time I hear someone claim that eating vegan is just too expensive, it really makes me wonder where he or she is shopping. Because I have shopped as a meat-eater, vegetarian and vegan, and without a doubt, the cheapest choice for my budget came when choosing vegan.

Now, of course, there are certain ideals of eating that must be established. Namely, buying a bunch of store-brand frozen pizzas and burritos, packs of ramen noodles, doesn't constitute real shopping. This is the best diet that will provide anyone with the nourishment that we need. In fact, if we really get down to it, anyone who is trying to eat vegan could shop this way as well. There are - by default - vegan packs of ramen, cans of soup, chips and salsa, whatever else. But, that's no way to live.

Let's assume the goal is to shop as if to cook well-balanced, nutritious meals. This, then, will only help the vegan shopper's cause. Here's what I do.
Read the rest here: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan...ow-budget-eating-vegan-without-any-sacrifice/

There are some great tips here! I eat out so often I'd save a LOT of money if I cooked my own food from scratch more.
 
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#3 ·
Yes. A regular can of chickpeas can cost from .79 cents. It's about 1.5 cups beans

One pound of dried chickpeas starts at $1.00 (although I've gotten them on sale for .50 cents) and gives you 5 cups cooked

You soak in water overnight, and if you have a pressure cooker they only take about 30 minutes to cook. That's not that much water or energy. You'd also have to factor in the water used to rinse the canned ones.

So--
.52 cents a cup of canned @ .79 a can
.20 cents a cup of dry cooked @ $1.00 a lb

pretty much the range of other beans, although I find I can get dried beans on sale and save much more
 
#4 ·
I thought that I was spending around $350 a month on food, then a couple months ago I sat down and added up receipts. I was actually averaging $479. Now and then I would get over $600 if I went through a stretch where I was eating out a lot. I've been averaging $240 now, which I'm thrilled about. If I can keep that up for a year, that's like finding an extra $3000.

I do everything mentioned in the article. I cook dried beans from scratch. That helps a lot. I stock up on brown rice when it gets below 70 cents a pound. I eat seasonal fruit. I can get apples for 50 cents a pound this week so I packed the fridge with those. I garden so that takes care of all the greens I can eat. One of my grocery stores has a shelf near the back where they put damaged produce. Potatoes are always on there, so I get those for around 25 cents a pound.

I'm finding $240 a month to be challenging though. It adds up quickly. I love putting nutritional yeast on stuff, but it's 40 cents per tablespoon. Out of my daily $8 budget, I spend $2 on tea and soy milk. Going out to eat more than once in a month will blow the budget.

I make my own bread twice a month, but I wonder if I am really saving money. It takes me about 40 minutes of labor to make 2 loaves and clean up afterwards. Technically I saved about $6, but if I had just bought bread instead, that would have been 40 minutes I could have been working, and I would have earned a lot more than $6.
 
#5 ·
I make my own bread twice a month, but I wonder if I am really saving money. It takes me about 40 minutes of labor to make 2 loaves and clean up afterwards. Technically I saved about $6, but if I had just bought bread instead, that would have been 40 minutes I could have been working, and I would have earned a lot more than $6.
I find I have to ask myself, "would I actually work?"
Likely, no. I bake when I'm not taking clients. Heck, I've made dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge while I saw clients, and baked when it was convenient.

Also, make extra dough through the proofing rise. Freeze at that point. I usually do it in not so pretty ball like lumps, since I'll shape after thawing. But for challah, I'll braid and freeze.
This cuts down the labor over more loaves.
 
#6 ·
where I am living at the moment its cheaper to buy the beans yourself and cook them than to buying the already ready prepared . Its more costly To buy and cook them yourself its alot cheaper. Sometimes I will buy in bulk The only thing Ive only tried making the bread myself a few times I might start doing this more as i find it relaxing to do and now days you dont know whos touching your food. anyway nice article
 
#7 ·
I find it cheaper to buy beans and lentils and cook myself than to buy something premade. Where live at the moment it cost more. I only do this sometimes when I want to eat fast or i dont feel like cooking . So its not often. I also like making homemade bread which ive only done a few times . I think i might start to do it more often as i like it and it taste alot better . and now days you dont know what is touching your food A very good article and very well written
 
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